The AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR is a lens optimized for digital-SLR cameras with advanced optical performance and one of the fastest AF systems in its class. It covers a broad range of focal lengths, from 80 mm to the super-telephoto 400 mm, making it ideal for photographing a variety of subjects, including wild birds and landscapes, sporting events, trains, and airplanes. The AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR offers one of the fastest AF systems in its class, and is constructed with a new optical design utilizing four ED lens elements and one super ED lens element, Nano Crystal Coat, which effectively reduces ghost and flare, a vibration reduction (VR) function that enables compensation for camera shake equivalent to a 4-step increase in shutter speed (tested in accordance with CIPA guidelines at a focal length of 400 mm), and a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) that enables quiet autofocusing. It is designed using Nikon's latest exclusive optical design and equipped with innovative technologies, including three focus modes—A/M (autofocus with manual override, AF priority), M/A (autofocus with manual override, manual priority, M (manual)—for superior rendering capability.

Nikon continues to expand its lineup of high-performance NIKKOR lenses that make the most of the characteristics of high-pixel count cameras like the Nikon FX-format D800, D800E, and D600 digital-SLR cameras released in 2012. Nikon will continue to develop and release products offering superior performance and functionality based on the optical technologies it has cultivated over its long history, and to respond to the expectations of professional and advanced amateur photographers constantly in search of ways to achieve more advanced photography and creative expression.